


Sleeping with the Enemy

by sammysouffle



Category: Hollyoaks
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Night Stands
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 10:48:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammysouffle/pseuds/sammysouffle
Summary: A new stranger in town complicates things for James.
Relationships: James Nightingale & Dean, James Nightingale & Eric Hutchinson, James Nightingale & John Paul McQueen, James Nightingale/Eric Hutchinson, James Nightingale/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Sleeping with the Enemy

  
New Year’s Eve 2021. If James thought 2020 was bad, he was not ready for what 2021 was going to bring for him. The death of someone because of him. 

The Dog had almost become his permanent home recently. Mercedes lifted the ban the family had on him at John Paul’s insistence, and he was welcome back here. Oddly quiet, the place was today. The only one nursing his drink at the end of the bar was James. Mercedes ignored him as he did her, only calling her over when he needed another one of the single malt whisky. 

“Excuse me?” A voice came from somewhere beside James, but he could not bother to look up. 

“Can I help-” Mercedes stopped mid-sentence as she turned around and raised an appreciative eyebrow at whoever this man was. “-you” 

“Yes, you may,” the man sounded English, but there was a slight American accent in there somewhere. James figured he may have briefly lived in America. “Can I get a whisky? Double.” 

“Which one would you like?” Asked Mercedes

“How about you take your pick, darlin’. I trust you.” 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” James warned him. “She’ll give you the cheap stuff and charge you double for it.” 

“Oi! You! Shut it or I’ll bar you again.” Mercedes warned, glaring at him. “Don’t listen to him. He’s just the local drunk.” 

“Well, aren’t you gorgeous for a local drunk?” 

That made James snap his head up and look at the man for the first time. He took in the man’s dark swept-back hair, his perfectly angled face with a jawline that could cut glass, and then there were his eyes… His brown eyes bore right into James’ making James gulp. 

“Hello,” the man said in a low, deep voice. His voice wasn’t as deep as James’ but just enough to run a chill down James’ spine. “There are two reasons people drink alone on a day like this. They are either waiting for someone or they are depressed. So which one are you?” 

“Here you go,” Mercedes slid the glass in front of the man and offered him a flirtatious smile. 

“Thank you, darlin’,” the man replied with the same charm he tried to use on James just seconds ago. 

“So who are you, stranger?” Mercedes asked. 

“The name’s Eric… Eric Hutchinson,” the man replied and took Mercedes’ hand in his and kissed her knuckles. “You’re married. Shame.” 

James rolled his eyes when he noticed the other man wink at Mercedes. James picked up his own drink and finished the rest of it. He was not in any mood to watch the man — Eric and Mercedes flirt. Though the name Hutchinson had him curious. He wondered if Tony and Verity were related to this man. But he did not stay around to find out. Instead, James paid his bill and left. 

The cold air hit James’ body once he was outside, making him shiver and pull his coat a little closer to himself. He did not know how long this freedom would last, so he would enjoy it the best he could while he could. 

“Leaving without saying goodbye?” 

James sighed when he heard the voice from earlier once again. “You seemed busy.” 

“And you never answered my question,” Eric quipped. 

“What was it again?” 

Eric chuckled, and James hated to admit it, but it was a beautiful sound. “Just my way of trying to figure out if you were single or not.” 

Fully turning towards the other man, James offered him a curious look. “Why does it matter to you?” 

***

The two of them ripped at each other’s clothes the moment they were through the door and in Eric’s hotel room. Their coats came off first as they hungrily kissed. They only parted briefly to take off their jumpers, trousers, and pants. 

When Eric pushed James down onto the bed and climbed on top of him, James wrapped his hand around Eric’s neck and brought it down to kiss him again. Their tongues mingled with each other’s again and they explored each other’s mouth like they were searching for something. Eric left James’ mouth briefly to kiss along his neck and nip and suck right above his pulse point, which made James go weak in the knees. Eric kissed along James’ collarbone before moving up to kiss his lips again. James gasped when he felt Eric’s hand on his cock. Eric took both of their cocks in his hand and stroked up and down the shaft. The friction made James moan and throw his head back. “Fuck,” he groaned. It had been a long time since James had had sex, so he was not sure how long he would last. He bit down on his lip to keep himself from screaming in ecstasy as Eric ran his thumb over the tip and used the pre-cum to easily move his hand along the shaft. 

“I will not last,” James panted. 

“Come for me then.” Eric’s voice had gone low and dark this time, which was all it took to take James over the edge. He brought his fist to his mouth and bit down hard on it as he came all over Eric’s hand. It wasn’t long before Eric was coming too. 

***

Eric plopped down on the bed beside James and looked over at him with a satisfied look on his face. “So… I still do not know your name.” 

“Should you not have asked me that before we had sex?” James asked

“That usually is not the requirement,” replied Eric. “Or you don’t have to tell me your name and I can make something up… hmm… Mr. Lonely.” 

“Lonely?” James could not help but take offense to that. “What makes you think I am lonely?” 

“You were drinking alone at an empty bar on New Year’s Eve. If that is not the definition of lonely, then I don’t know what is.” 

Eric was good in bed, but he was getting on James’ nerves. James was not even sure what he was still doing here. He should have left as soon as they had finished. As James made his way out of the bed when he felt a hand on his arm. 

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. Unfortunately, I tend to speak without thinking. But you don’t have to leave.” 

James turned to look at the other man and found sincerity in those light brown eyes. “Why?” He asked. 

“Because I’d rather not be alone on New Year’s Eve.” 

“So you only want me to here to kiss you on New Year’s?” 

“Maybe…” The cheeky smile on Eric’s face made James smile as well. 

James got back under the covers once again and turned towards the other man. “So Hutchinson? Any relation to Tony Hutchinson?” 

“Well, he’s my half-brother… I have never met him though.” 

“Edward Hutchinson---” 

“He was my father.” 

James did not miss the edge in Eric’s voice at the mention of his father. That got James curious, but he did not want to seem intrusive, so he did not push Eric about it. Though it all made sense. James could see the similarities between Eric and Verity. 

“So.. now that you have my family history, do I get to know your name?” Eric asked. 

Just as James was about to answer, his phone rang in his trousers pocket somewhere. James was ready to ignore it when he remembered that it could be Dean with an update from his police officer friend about the case. Getting out of the bed, James looked around for his trousers and then searched through them until he got to his phone. 

“Sorry, not to be rude, but I have to take this.” 

“By all means.” 

Just as James had suspected, it was Dean. “Dean,” he said, answering the phone. 

“James, where are you?” From the tone of his voice, James could tell he was not up for any good news. “So I talked to my friend at the station and---” 

“And?” 

“And he said that a new Crown Prosecutor is in town and he intends to go ahead with the case.” 

“Even without the---” James stopped and moved to the bathroom to get some privacy. “---even without the body?” He asked softly. 

“Apparently this man is full of himself and he thinks he has enough proof that he can win the case even without the body,” Dean replied. “James, I think you--- you should prepare yourself. They could arrest you any day now.” 

“Who is this new Crown Prosecutor?” James asked, gritting his teeth. 

“His name is — I think Eric something… Eric Hatfield---” 

“Hutchinson?” James’ heart skipped a beat as he looked around behind him at the closed door. It can’t be. Hutchinson could not be the new prosecutor who was after James. 

“Yes! Hutchinson! His name is Eric Hutchinson.” Dean replied. “James--- Just--- just take care of yourself. Everything will be fine.” 

With that Dean hung up the phone, leaving James standing dumbfounded. James was not sure how he could go back in there and tell Eric who he was. James’ heart pounded in his chest as he slowly opened the door and headed back into the room. 

“Who’s Dean? Not a boyfriend, I hope.” 

James said nothing. Instead, he put on his clothes as quickly as he could and wrapped his wool coat around himself as if it would shield him from the other man. James did not hear the footsteps behind him until Eric grabbed again his arm. 

“Hey what’s wrong? Was that really your boyfriend?” 

James sighed and turned around to face the other man and saw the concern on his face. “No, he is not my boyfriend,” he said, yanking his arm out of Eric’s grip. 

Instead of saying anything else, James let his hand rest on Eric’s neck and brought him closer to kiss him. Just as their lips touched, the booming sounds of fireworks rose through the air. James kissed him with fervor, knowing this was the last time he would ever kiss this man. “Happy New Year,” James whispered against his lips when they parted. Without saying another word, James left Eric standing in the middle of his hotel room, most likely bursting with questions.


End file.
